In 1891, during their college football debut, the West Virginia Mountaineers were defeated 72-0 by the Washington and Jefferson Presidents, a private liberal arts college located 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh, PA.
Robert Lee "Sam" Huff, a former linebacker for WVU, graduated in 1956. Before leaving Morgantown, Huff helped lead the Mountaineers to a record of 31 wins and 7 losses over four years. He went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL for the New York Giants and the former Washington Redskins, now known as the Washington Commanders. Huff was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
In 1979, the Mountaineers played their last game at Old Mountaineer Field against their football rival, the Pittsburgh Panthers, who defeated WVU 24-17. Old Mountaineer Field was demolished in 1987.
In 1980, Milan Puskar Stadium opened as the Mountaineers' home field.
Former head coach Don Nehlen, who won 149 games with the team from 1980 to 2000, is one of the most memorable head coaches in Mountaineer history. Nehlen led the Mountaineers to undefeated seasons in 1988 and 1993 and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2005.
Other notable former WVU Mountaineers football coaches include Dana Holgorsen, who achieved 61 wins from 2011 to 2018 and led the team to bowl games in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. Rich Rodriguez, with 60 wins from 2001 to 2007, guided the Mountaineers to bowl games from 2002 to 2006. Art Lewis, a former NFL lineman drafted as a first-round selection by the New York Giants in 1936, recorded 58 wins as head coach from 1950 to 1959 with the Mountaineers.
Other prominent athletes who graduated from WVU and went on to play in the NFL include Pat White, Geno Smith, Tavon Austin, Jeff Hostetler, Kevin White, Bruce Irvin, and Pat McAfee.
